4 THE BOOK OF EEAL FAIRIES

"• There ! " cried the raindrop, triumphantly. " I
knew it ! And how many kinds of water are there ?
Can you tell me that ? "

" Why, I thought all water was alike," returned
Evelyn.

6t Exactly ! exactly ! " ejaculated G-litter, sarcastic-
ally. " Isn't the sea water salty ? Isn't spring water
different from rain ? "

"So it is!" replied Evelyn, in surprise, tt and
as you are a raindrop, you must have been a
cloud.55

't Very well, indeed," exclaimed Glitter, " you are
beginning to think. I was part of a cloud for the
last two days. Millions of my brothers and I were
sailing half a mile above your head. Our Captain
gathered us from the sea, as moisture, and led us to
this spot because rain was so badly needed. It's
o'reat fun to come hurtling down through the air.
The plants are very grateful to us ... They
eat us," he added.

" Mercy ! " cried Evelyn, " do you like that ? "

" It isn't always what you like that is good for
you," said G-litter, " but in this case it happens that
we do like it, my brothers and I, for when the plants
absorb us, we become flowers or grain or some such
thing. Isn't that worth dying for ? "

a Oh, yes," cried Evelyn, who began to under-
stand,